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This writing was accepted for publication in the 108 page perfect-bound ISSN# / ISBN# issue/book “Formative” Down in the Dirt, v170 (the Apr. 2020 Issue)  Order the paperback book: 
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Order this Janet Kuypers writing from her poetry book Every Event of the Year (Volume One: January-June) Order this 200+ page 7½" x 9¼" ISBN# book today of select poetry for holidays and events spanning the first half of the calendar year
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Order this writing that appears in the one-of-a-kind anthology Foundations the Down in the Dirt Feb.-April 2020 issues collection book
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Quarrel over the Constitution Janet Kuypers 4/13/2019, on Thomas Jefferson Day, for his birthday, 4/13/1743 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both founding fathers of the United States, were good friends, but they never agreed on how the government should run. They quarreled over the Constitution: John thought it is a document that could bend to change to the needs of the time. But Thomas said no way, this is the Constitution, it is there as a structure that does not bend. But as I said, they were friends nonetheless, until John Adams was president. And by 1800, President Adams made the robust declaration that it is illegal to say anything bad about the President of the United States, and the Federal government will get you if you even think of committing this crime. At this point, Jefferson was enraged, thinking that there’s this little thing called freedom of speech, and this is in direct violation of anything this country is supposed to stand for. So, when the next election came, Jefferson had to run against Adams to get him out of the presidency. So the two of them said anything derogatory about the other to win. Apparently because Jefferson would argue for individual rights, Adams would say things like, ‘voting for Jefferson is voting for murder, or incest, because he thinks anyone can do whatever they want.’ And Jefferson was stunned that Adams would stoop so low, so he could only retort with more bad talk about Adams. Now keep in mind, these are founding fathers that are acting like eighth graders, especially when John Adams would say things like, ‘Jefferson has prostitutes shipped in from overseas to have sex with all the time.’ And Jefferson’s response would be to go to the newspaper to tell them that Adams was actually a hermaphrodite, with both make and female sex organs — and they published this, Jefferson’s, words on record. At this point, Adams thought fine, if he’s playing dirty, let’s play, because Adams then spread the word that Thomas Jefferson was actually dead. Not point in voting for a dead man for president, right? I mean, really, the incumbent president’s campaigning strategy is ‘vote for me; I’m alive’? Good call. So, Jefferson found different ways to get him back, like calling upon a hatchet man, James Callender, to publish newspaper articles about Adams, that he wants to go to war with France. (Yes, this was published.) And yes, Jefferson won, but Adams thought before he left that he would appoint into offices below him a lot of people who vehemently oppose everything Jefferson stands for. (Which might be a proper statement of how politicians can get things done while dealing with people with opposing views, but really, who am I to judge.) So, near the end of Jefferson’s first term as President, his daughter died. Abigail Adams, (John’s wife), felt bad, even though they had their differences, so she wrote a sympathy letter to Thomas Jefferson. And Jefferson responded, saying ‘that was very kind of you, thank you, but while I have you here, John tried to ruin my presidency, so I truly only feel bad will toward you. (Jefferson probably wanted to use a lot of expletives, but I don’t have the original letter, so I can’t confirm his true words.) Keep in mind that maturity level of these two founding fathers, who were consecutive Presidents of the United States. So, Abigail said to John, ‘that’s it. Thomas Jefferson is dead to us.’ And a decade went by, them not speaking to each other, until another founding father, Benjamin Rush, told Adams to let is pass, we shared those glorious 1776 days together, those starting-the-country times were magical, so John Adams fondly reflected on the times with Tommy Jeff*, decided to write a letter. Very general. ‘Hey, we haven’t talked in while, How are you doing? I — I miss you. I Hope that you’re doing okay.’ Jefferson got this letter, thinking of his once friend, Johnny Ads *, and wrote a cordial letter back, after ten years. And they kept writing each other, and they realized they had a lot more in common. By the end of their lives, they had exchanged 158 letters. These two were friends again. And by 1826, John Adams is on his death bed, and his last words were, ‘independence forever.’ They didn’t know this, but they both died on the same day, July 4th, 1826. The 50 year anniversary of them signing the declaration of Independence. Which seems like the perfect ending for a tumultuous and insanely groundbreaking, friendship. * slang from Season 2, Episode 8 of the television show “Drunk History” |
